CARDINALIS PHOENICEUS,
CARDINALIS PÏÏOENICEÜ8.
(ITiliXEZUELAN CARDINAL).
Cardinalis phceniceus Bp. P.Z.S . 1837, p. I l l , efc CoDsp. I , p. 501.
Scl. Cat. Am. B. p . 100.
Sci. e t Salv. P.Z.S, 1868, p. 170.
Coccineus, lo ris e t m e a to n igris, alis infcus fuscis, e s tu s cum in te rsca p u lio e t caudâ te sta ce o -ru b ris : c ris ta e lo n g atâ
coccineâ : ro s tro p a llidè corneo, p ed ibu s fuscis : long, to ta 7 ’0, alæ 3 '4 , caudæ 3 3, ta rs i '95. Feju. S u p rà fusco-einerca,
c ris ta c lo u g atâ n ig ric an te , coccineo tin c ta , lo ris e t m e n to n ig ric an tib u s : su b tu s oehracea ; c audâ scbistaceâ, coccíneo
perfusâ.
Ha h . in Vene zue la litto ra li {Goering).
The Venezuelan Cardinal is a beautiful representative o f the wcll-knomi northern species,
the “ Eed-hird” or “ Virginian Cardinal” o f the United States. It is o f nearly the same form,
but is readily distinguishable by its smaller size, longer crest, and the want o f the black band
on the forehead.
This bird was first described by the late Prince Bonaparte in a paper published in the
Zoological Society’s “ Proceedings” for 1837, under the MS. name applied to it b y Mr. Gould
in his collection. The habitat there given is somewhat vague, being described as “ the country
southward o f the Bay o f Honduras.” We are, however, enabled to state with certainty tliat
its true p a tria is the littoral o f Venezuela. Mr. Anton Goering’s first collection from this
district, o f which we have lately given an account in the Zoological Society’s “ Proceedings”
contained a pair o f this fine species, hir. Goering, who obtained these birds in the vicinity of
Carupano, informs us that it is strictly confined to the neighbourhood o f the coast, being never
met with beyond a few leagues in the interior.
Our figure o f the male o f tliis bird is from a specimen purchased o f Verreaux, tiiat o f the
female from the example obtained by Mr. Goering as above-mentioned. Both these birds arc
now in Sclater’s collection.
The only well-established species o f Cardinal besides the present is the Virginian
Cardinal, which extends from the Southern United States through Mexico to Yucatan and
Belize. Our friend Professor Baird has separated the western bird obtained by Mr. John
Xanthus at Cape St. Lucas in Lower California under the name Cardinalis igneus (Proc. Acad.
Phil. 1859, p .305, and Elliot B. N. Am. Part I, t. iv.) But judging- from a specimen in Sclatcr’s
collection and from the characters assigned to it hy the descriher, wc can scarcely regard this
as more than a slight local race o f C. virginianus.
A u qu st, 1S6S.